Pulse Asia’s pre-election survey results released Tuesday showed Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III still leading other presidentiables.

The nationwide survey conducted last March 21 to 28 among 3,000 respondents showed that Aquino scored 37 percent, while his closest rival, Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential bet Sen. Manny Villar, got 25 percent.

The current voter preference of Aquino remains unchanged as compared to the survey result last February where he scored 36 percent.

Using a duplicate ballot, respondents were asked to indicate their preference on the ballot based on the instructions written in it.

The survey question was, “If elections were held today, who will you vote for as President of the Philippines?”

Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) is the only other candidate with double-digit support, at 18 percent, but is also unchanged  compared to the previous survey.

The other candidates are former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), 7 percent; Sen. Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan), 2 percent; and evangelist Bro. Eduardo Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas), 2 percent.

Compared to the February pre-election survey, the voter preferences for all the candidates are unchanged given the survey-to-survey margin of error.

Independent candidate environment activist Jesus Nicanor Perlas scored 0.3 percent, followed by Olongapo City Councilor JC de los Reyes (Ang Kapatiran), 0.2 percent, and Sen. Jamby Madrigal (Independent), 0.1 percent.

Nine percent of the survey respondents refused or remained undecided.

The results also showed that Aquino enjoys a slight to significant lead over the second running contender in almost all areas and socio-economic classes, ranging from a low of 7 percent in the Balance of Luzon, where Aquino’s preference is at 33 percent against Villar’s 26 percent, to a high of 32 percent for the upper socio-economic classes ABC (upper to middle classes), where Sen. Aquino’s voting support is at at 49 percent against 17 percent for Villar.

In the vice presidential race, LP bet Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II continues to dominate with 43 percent. Following him is Sen. Loren Legarda (Nationalist People’s Coalition), 23 percent.

Legarda is closely followed by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay (PDP-LABAN), 19 percent.

Other candidates are former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando (Bagumbayan), 3 percent; actor Edu Manzano (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), 2 percent; former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chief Perfecto Yasay (Bangon Pilipinas), 1 percent; broadcast journalist Jay Sonza (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan), 0.5 percent; and lawyer Dominador Chipeco Jr. (Ang Kapatiran), 0.1 percent.